%0 Journal Article
%A He, Y.X.
%A Wu, N.
%A Zhu, Q.A.
%A Chen, H.
%A Zhu, D.
%A Peng, C.
%A Yang, G.
%A Gao, Y.H.
%A Zhao, C.
%T The 5000-year climate change of northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and historical ecology of Zoige wetlands
%B Shengtai Xuebao/ Acta Ecologica Sinica
%D 2014
%V 34
%P 1615-1625
%N 7
%Z cited By (since 1996)0; doi=(10.5846/stxb201308052023)
%X Paleoclimatology is attached more and more importance by climate and
ecological scientists. As the strengthening of the monsoon activity,
the middle Holocene (6.0-5.0ka B.P.) became an important reference
era of Paleoclimate Modeling Intercomparison Project (PMIP). In addition,
the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau was focused by its climatic
sensibility and ecological vulnerability. In this paper, we used
the data from Qinghai Lake, Zoige plateau and the source area of
Yellow River to present the trends of 5000-year climate change on
northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Then taking Zoige wetlands
as an example, we reviewed studies about the impact of climate change
on vegetation types, peat development and civilization evolution,
and discussed the possible interaction among them. According to our
analyses, the climate on the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
was warm and humid from 5.0 to 3.0 ka B. P., with an average temperature
2°C higher than the present. In this period, the dominant macrophanerophyte
was mainly coniferous tree and the major herbage type was sedge.
Moreover, thick peat accumulation was found due to the warm and humid
climate. However, the climate turned into dry and cold since then
to 1.0 ka B.P., with an extremely cold event around 1ka B.P. The
coniferous forest had been shrinking from highland to lowland because
of fading Indian monsoon, wetlands developed very slowly and the
civilization was also influenced. Meanwhile, human activities also
slightly limited the development of wetlands due to the increasing
population of Di-Qiang ancient people. We deduced that there existed
a roughly synchronous resonance between climate change and the phenomenon
of nomad migrated southward or eastward periodically. It is worth
mentioning that Medieval Warm Period was observed in this era, following
the prosperity of The tea-horse trade and the appearance of agricultural
production by Uigur in Gansu Corridor. In recent 1000 years, due
to the relatively warming climate, though not very steady, the coniferous
forest and the wetland developed slightly again. In recent 100 years,
the abrupt warming was introduced by increasing GHGs, the precipitation
was decreased relatively. The area of Zoige wetlands decreased by
a half due to drainage from 60s to the early 80s, then the shrinkage
of wetlands was mainly due to climate warming, especially the abrupt
warming of recent ten years. In short, the regional climate change
determined vegetation types and affected the formation and development
of wetlands. Climate change also impacted civilization, which altered
the scope of human activity and early establishment of civilization.
Meanwhile, human activities also affected the distribution and dynamics
of wetlands. The interaction among climate change, wetland development
and civilization course, however, depend on coupling of different
factors. Furthermore, it is urgent to carry out researches about
integrated adaptation and related technology on alpine's ecosystem
to mitigate the climate change, as well as establishing a sustainable
management system of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.
Scopus
%( 10000933
%K agricultural production; civilization; climate variation; coniferous
tree; dominance; drainage; historical ecology; Holocene; human activity;
monsoon; paleoclimate; peatland; precipitation (climatology); sedge;
vegetation history; vulnerability; warming; wetland, China; Qinghai-Xizang
Plateau; Zoige Wetland
%U http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84898933101&partnerID=40&md5=ec29f1dab4773d077c931d2961a4b2b3
%F HeWuZhuEtAl2014
%3 BibTeX type = ARTICLE